In stark terms, the Republican said he would reject any measure that “allows discrimination in our state in order to protect people of faith,” and urged religious conservatives not to feel threatened by the ruling. He also called on his fellow Republicans pushing for the measure to take a deep breath and “recognize that the world is changing around us.”

We can’t be sure why Gov. Deal has finally chosen to take a firm stand on the right side of this issue. But we do know that Georgia could lose billions of dollars if huge conventions and companies like Salesforce move their business to states that don’t promote discrimination.

Our guess is that — more than anything else — it’s Gov. Deal’s love of money that prompted him to make this stand. But while Deal’s motives may not be the purest, his statements will go a long way in stopping this discriminatory legislation.

We know that powerful Right-wing extremists lobbying for anti-gay legislation will not give up without a fight. As progressives, we have to keep the pressure on the governor and all of our state lawmakers to do the right thing for Georgians — whatever their motives may be.